Tuesday, April 12, 2011

TIME TO TELL THE CANDIDATES WHAT THE VOTERS WANT!!

QUICK RECAP OF LAST NIGHT'S SPAGHETTI DINNER (WHAT I SAW OR HEARD - OR AS BAYLOR SAID - MY OPINION).

THE NO SHOWS WERE COFFEY, BENEDETTI, GOLDBERG, TIMBERLAKE, AND ETHERIDGE, BLEVINS, RANDY SMITH, AND CAESAR. (IF I MISSED ANYONE, HELP ME OUT.)

GOLDBERG HAD HIS WIFE SPEAK FOR HIM. BENEDETTI HAD DARRYL MILLS EXPLAIN SHE HAD A SICK AUNT.

WILCOX STILL HAS HIS STUMLER BUTTON ON WHICH IS AGAINST PARTY RULES. WILCOX IS NOT ALLOWED TO ENDORSE ANYONE - HE IS SUPPOSE TO REPRESENT ALL THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES AND HELP ALL, NOT ONE.

NOT EVERYONE SERVED LAST NIGHT. ENGLAND AND BAYLOR DID NOT SERVE FOOD. THOSE TWO PEOPLE WERE TOO BUSY UP EACH OTHER'S YOU KNOW WHAT THUS RENDERING THEM UNABLE TO SERVE.

GLOTZBACH GAVE A GOOD SPEECH. DENHART GAVE A GOOD SPEECH. HARRIET SPOKE FOR MAURY STATING HIS FIVE TERMS ON COUNCIL WOULD MAKE HIM A GOOD CLERK. BAYLOR SIMPLY BASHED ED CLERE, BRIDGE TOLLS AND CARRIED ON ABOUT HOW HIGH HIS PROPERTY TAXES ARE. THIS AFTER HIM BASHING CITIZENS WHO GOT THE PROPERTY TAX CAP PASSED AT THE STATE LEVEL. HE SAID NOTHING ABOUT WHAT HE COULD/WOULD DO FOR THE CITIZENS OF NEW ALBANY, NOT EVEN BRINGING UP TWO WAY STREETS.

GAHAN GAVE A GOOD SPEECH. MCLAUGHLIN SIMPLY TALKED ABOUT HE HAS A FREE RIDE UNTIL THE FALL. STUMLER SUPPORTS THE BIG DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN BY MAINLAND ALONG WITH THE PARKING GARAGE. ENGLAND SAID THE PARKING GARAGE WILL BE BUILT. PRICE SPOKE WELL. PATTI WALKER SAID SHE HAS EXPERIENCE WITH BUDGETS AND FINANCE. WILKINSON THINKS THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE WOMEN ON THE COUNCIL. HATFIELD/ROSENBARGER WAS MAD. GONDER SPOKE WELL. BAIRD SPOKE WELL.

PHIPPS WANTS TAX ABATEMENTS FOR ANY NEW RESIDENTS WHO MOVE DOWNTOWN AND SUPPORTS THE POLICE AND FIRE. WE COULD GO ON, BUT YOU GET THE DRIFT.

SHELLEY ENGLAND ANNOUNCED THE MERGER OF THE FLOYD COUNTY DEMOCRAT WOMEN'S CLUB TOGETHER WITH THE FLOYD COUNTY MEN'S CLUB TOGETHER WITH THE FLOYD COUNTY YOUNG DEMOCRATS.

OKAY, NOW IT'S YOUR TURN TO TELL THESE CANDIDATES WHAT YOU WANT FROM THEM AS A VOTER AND AS A TAXPAYER. GOOD LUCK.

Well, I'd love to tell you what I'd love from the candidates, but right now I can't see any redeeming qualities in some of them. I was there last night. I wouldn't have too much of a problem with a one-time swipe at Mitch Daniels (since we are in the opposite party-although Mitch hasn't done too bad a job, to tell the truth). But what really got my goat (and every single person sitting around me) was his constant (and I mean CONSTANT) bashing of Ed Clere. It was beyond just mean. It was evil. And I could see it was personal.

It was hard to just sit there. Baylor knew darned good and well that, however much many of us Democrats appreciate Ed Clere for his integrity, progressiveness and willingness to man up and put himself out there to do the right things for all of us, NO ONE would likely get up and defend Clere at a Democrat function in front of some of the Democrat powers that be who would use any good thing we might say to defend Clere against US. Baylor understands this perfectly. So, he dug one after another against Ed Clere, a great public servant and friend to so many of us.

It is crap like that that makes me want to vomit. Instead of run our own campaigns, we, in the Democrat Party, always want (lately) to go on the attack. We attack Republicans (gratuitously). We attack the taxpayer (with thievery). We attack each other (sometimes with good reason, other times just for sport). And then we wonder why our good Democrat Party is going down the tubes.

A truly good Democrat could see, for example, that they have in Ed Clere a real help in time of trouble and an honest steward of our taxpayer dollars. But, no, we have to give Baylor the floor because he's running for office on OUR ticket.

Baylor disgusts me, but his behavior is more a small piece of evidence of the larger problem. We're starving for real leadership, but we all insist on having our own way, make sure to knock the other man (or woman) down, and demand that everyone fill our pockets (or our need for power) with whatever we can suck out of them, be it time, money, or connections.

So, I challenge fellow bloggers to look for more than the crap they're trying to hurl at us because they think we're stupid. Look beyond the rhetoric, and see who's doing what to help the people of New Albany. Look for real interest in public service, not cute words and clever phrases laced with hatred.

I agree with you 6:13. I was highly offened over the Clere remarks. I liked what Denhart said: This is what I am for and this is what I am against and why. I'm just sorry I can't vote for her she's not in my district.

Well, I'll tell you something that makes me want to heave: candidates talking trash talk about other candidates all over Twitter. This bit about gossiping about other Democratic candidates all over the internet is rude and every bit as disgusting as this attack on Ed Clere. It's all just sick.

A sign of what's to come in the event one of them actually gets voted in office.

You got that right, 7:09. I like Clere a lot. He's smart and he cares. Can't say that about Baylor. Today's Tribune had a letter to the editor saying that Baylor ought to be elected because he uses big words and this guy uses a thesaurus to look them up.

Sounded like the dumbest argument I've ever heard on behalf of a candidate.

As for 7:31, I don't actually know Etheridge. Why doens't he come to give talks? I've seen his signs everywhere, but my sister said he put one on her property without asking. You aren't supposed to do that, are you?

Don't like Baylor. He's very self-aggrandizing. Don't like Phipps' suggestion of tax abatements for new residents downtown. McLaughlin is weak and kind of silly. Baird seems ok. Kind of mousy. Walker is very nice. Timberlake is odd. Smith is mean. Benedetti is kind of odd. Coffey, well, he's Coffey. And Doug England. I could write a book!

Hello. I’d like to address the problem of Chairman Wilcox wearing a preferred candidate’s button. He should not do this because he cannot possibly show the party any kind of unity when he plucks one candidate to favor over the others. It’s simply not in the best interest of the party, no matter what his true feelings.When the chairman of a local party backs one candidate over another within the party, it creates a sort of power struggle within the party. People want to get in the good graces of the party, but may not support the chairman’s favorite. So it creates a conflict for people. Even the Republicans seem to understand this. Dave Matthews was said to have preferred Lee Ann Wiseheart over Ron Grooms (I heard this from a family friend), but the Republicans said they never, ever saw him wear any button preferring her over Ron, nor did they hear him SAY, “Vote for Lee Ann.” This was in the best interest of fair play. If Lee Ann were to win, then Matthews had a clear conscience. People didn’t vote for her because of pressure from the top. In the end, Ron Grooms won, and this didn’t reflect badly on Matthews either.Interesting that a guy most of us think is kind of a moron actually uses his head better than our own party leader.

NOT EVERYONE SERVED LAST NIGHT. ENGLAND AND BAYLOR DID NOT SERVE FOOD. THOSE TWO PEOPLE WERE TOO BUSY UP EACH OTHER'S YOU KNOW WHAT THUS RENDERING THEM UNABLE TO SERVE.

There you go again. I was second at the salad area after Brad Bell. John Gonder was a bit late. We all helped. The mayor came in about halfway through. I know not to expect perfect truth here, but you can do a bit better than that.

I sure did bash Republicans, though. That's because I'm running as a Democrat, not a Republican. Odd and novel thought, but after all, this KIS New Albany, where the racist Dixiecrats voted overwhelmingly for McCain.

I agree that bashing Republicans is not a good thing to be doing. Frankly, any Democrat in office owes his or her seat to a great many Republicans who saw value in them enough to vote them into office.

Besides that, why bash Republicans? They simply think that the means to the end is different. I think we all want good things in the end. Republicans want big business and trickle down economics, and Democrats want to takes as much as they can from the rich and give to the poor so the money will trickle up.

Baylor, A.K.A., HR Fluffinstuff, when you make wild claims that "Republicans" should have more important things to do than "defining marriage, reducing reproductive freedom, curtailing human rights, and gutting education," every single person in the room knows that you're talking about Ed Clere, and you know it.

As for your disagreeing publicly with Ed Clere, and for continuing "so long as he pursues damaging public policies" "using any and all BULLY pulpits within arm's length," that, too, shows that you haven't paid one bit of attention to all the things that he's done very well. You won't even give him credit for voting the right way on the marriage issue without supposing that you have any idea as to what his motives are.

YOU, HR Fluffinstuff, you, and no one else but you, know how dishonest you are being by saying such nonsense, and YOU know how to change it. Fact is, if you happen by any far-fetched chance to win the election, you WILL have to work cheerfully and honestly alongside Ed Clere on a number of projects. For Clere, unlike certain politicians around here is well known for making sure ALL entities are informed and included, even those who seek to sneak and circumvent him and those who invest time in character assassination and the outright invention of lies. You've become quite good friends with some of these, we've noticed.

Some bombastic, pontificating liars go ahead and post their names to whatever they post. Thank you, Baylor. Now we know not to vote for you.

LOLOLOL....12:24, you hit the nail on the head! HR Fluffinstuff. Hilarious! When I was in HS (in the 90's, they showed reruns of HR Puffinstuff--what a ridiculous show, and what a great name to give to a ridiculous individual). LOLOLOL...That's a great nickname for he who likes to give nicknames to others.

LOL. That's one of the best things I've ever read on here. HR Fluffinstuff. That won't soon be forgotten. Hee! Hee! Hee! Haw! Haw! Haw! I remember that show. My younger brother would watch it. By then, I was in High School, but I remember that character named "Witchipoo." Very bad witch, that one. LOLOL... HR Fluffinstuff. Very good.

Also, you're right to defend Ed Clere. I've watched the current administration work in every way to marginalize and circumvent Ed in just about everything he does. Fluffinstuff, unwittingly, plays into their hands by writing all his "bully pulpit" stuff on his blog and everywhere else. In the meantime, Ed just goes about what he does best, looking at problems from every angle and making a strong effort to include everyone in the process of making New Albany a better place.

I know it irritates "HR Fluffinstuff" no end (and his sidekick, might as well call him "Witchipoo Gillenwater, even more) when people see that Ed is the real deal and work WITH him, without judgment as to whether he's a Republican, Democrat, Communist, or whatever. Ed's always been a pleasure to work with, has always brought out ideas that include everyone, and has more integrity than most of us will ever have. I've seen Ed do things to be helpful where there was no benefit, either direct or indirect, for him. I've seen Ed listen graciously while people introduce him as a "paper pusher" when it was Ed who did all the work on a project the current administration screwed up. I watched his family stand with grace and dignity while his former recent opponent TRASHED him with complete lies and nasty innuendo.

Yes. Ed is the one topic that brings HR Fluffinstuff to an anger like no other. I've stopped frequenting his business because of it.

There is variety, diversity, if you will, among the readership of this blog. Lumping us all into "you people" screams Fluffinstuff. I like that moniker too. It fits perfectly. Don't know about Witchipoo, but Fluffinstuff is exactly what you can expect to read on NA Confidential, despite protestations to the contrary.

I'm with the rest of you about Clere. I don't know him, but I admire a guy who can do what he does and stand firm while being attacked from the Fluffinstuff. Yes, Fluffinstuff fits.

It's sad to see this decline into ruin of a New Albany blogger who at one time seemed to have a bright future as a New Albany mover and shaker.

I think y'all are in for a rude awakening when Baylor easily makes it past the primary.

I know it's hard to keep up with big words sometimes, but he's by far one of the top three candidates at large. He, y'know, thinks. Uses his brain. Looks at what could be.

If his beer were piss, he wouldn't be a worldwide (yes- worldwide- as in, not from Indiana- nay, not from the United States- and not even North America- but whole wide world) destination for beer enthusiasts.

If you're not smart enough to insult something that is actually true- why would anyone go with your recommendation on something that would be more impactful on our community?

You know, Fluffinstuff thinks he's smart, that big words make such a difference. But a statesman is normally a great communicator , not a great wordsmith. It's very easy to look in a thesaurus to find words. Not so easy to understand the people and to communicate with them.

Fluffinstuff can flush his fluff. There is no way he can win the primary. No way. He's burned too many bridges and has too many enemies. The Fluffinstuff blog, Twitter, and all the other "bully pulpits" he uses are not doing what he thinks they're doing. They are revealing one thing. The truth. About the Fluffinstuff.

1:50 fluffinstuff is nothing more than old crap. he and kojoke have had their head up the current admin @ss for so long. how can he along with kojoke not be anything more than old crap? if you want to vote for him then do, but you might as well vote for the incumbents also cause with baylor you'll be getting the same old crap.

No, Fluffinstuff, England doesn't TELL you about the conspiracy. Therein lies the great beauty of how he operates. You don't know you're being used. But he owns you, Fluffinstuff. You've been bought and paid for.

It's going to be hard to sell you on Irv Stumler because he is a card-carrying, business-worshiping, monied, white-bred REPUBLICAN. No matter what kind of deal he made with England, he will ALWAYS be a Republican. You can count on his family (to which I belong) to keep him as a Republican, because the Dixiecrats are ignorant. Always have been and always will be.

Let me add, Irv has no, I repeat, NO, comprehension of your "progressive" ideologies and no interest in learning about them.

So, just don't worry about voting for him. You don't have to. But he'll get all the votes he needs from non-progressives, I can assure you of that. They'll have no idea they're voting for a Republican, and that's just fine by me.

I hope he wins and wins big, and I hope he cleans this town of its trash. For good.

I listen to several candidates on WNAS there are several tooting their own horns and others not saying nothing. So how can we as voters decide who to vote for? It looks like to me the atlarge race is nothing but a bunch of jokers. Smith looked like a skin head, and really said nothing.

Come on you candidates tell us what the problems are and how they going to fix them.

...to people driving municipal-tagged vehicles to set up for political candidates' fundraisers/events. We can argue the particulars of the abuse of using municipal vehicles for personal use all day, but this one really takes the cake.

All taxpayers in your respective community bought that car, pay for the maintenance of the car, pay your salary, pay for the insurance on the car...but I think it's say to say all taxpayers don't support the candidate you're using the car to drive yourself and a carload of goodies and party prettys to an event for.

8:40am, I don't vote for candidates who can't back up their words. It is who you know in most of the jobs downtown. All I wish for is that Jeff Gahan, Vicki Denhart and Steve Price can make it right and better for all of us.

I agree that certain ones among you have never been nice about the Cleres, but your prejudices are already known by most of us anyway.

I'm more interested in the local election. Who's doing what and who to vote for. For mayor, right now, I can't see any good reason to vote for Stumler. His age bothers me less than his connection with England.

Anyone connected with England, I do not trust. Period.

Voting for anyone connected with England means keeping the same sneaky stuff going on that's gone on for years. I watched the WNAS clips of the candidates. They all said things like, "It's time for change (substitute "new ideas" or "new people")." They all said it. But many of those same people are in bed with England. No change in sight there.

Number one no-no: Irv Stumler. Solidly supported by Doug England, Stumler is nothing but bought and paid for by Doug England and John Mattingly. There is no way in HELL I'll vote for him. Also, Stumler was supposedly a Republican. How loyal is that? If Stumler can ditch his party so easily, how can he be trusted? Ditching the repubs for ENGLAND?

It would be of help to everyone reading if someone wold define what it means to be in bed with England in the political sense. I don;t know many of these people running, asnd you make this accusation all the time about not trusting England connections. But what does it really mean? Thanks.

Not trusting England is hard to put in so many words. My personal experience with him is his arriving HOURS late for something in which my daughter was getting an award. He was drunk. It was in the morning. I was completely unimpressed.

In addition to this, it is well understood that England has spent money on things he should not. He has shown himself on a number of occasions to be money grubbing. And he supports certain people, but only when they do his will....He asks nothing directly, but plays a sort of game. While watching him in the City County Bldg, I have made these discoveries, but they are too numerous to go into here (not to mention I can't get into particulars).

I live in District 1. The District 1 race has one candidate supported by England. According to the Tribune, England gave Timberlake $300. Again, I wouldn't vote for anyone who gets money from England. No matter what.

I'm losing track of who I've mentioned, but I think that anyone who is connected in any way with Doug England needs to be voted against simply because a vote for these people keeps England's hand in the till.

I remember when he said that he wanted to be "the fat pig at the trough." That was many years ago. Doug England has been the fat pig at the trough for far too long. He needs to go.

I was at the beerhouse yesterday, and I heard Baylor say he could not vote for Stumler and was diisgusted by the deal. So how can a vote for Baylor be a vote for England? Wouldn't a vote for Baylor actually take a vote away from England? I just dont understand your reasonsong.

I see his reasoning. Maybe Baylor SAYS he wouldn't vote for Stumler and was disgusted by the deal, but I've heard Baylor say a lot of things yet do another. I don't believe a word Baylor says.

Baylor wants us to vote for him, so he's naturally going to distance himself from what he calls "Dixiecrats" (and England is one of these, but slicker).

In addition to this, England uses Baylor. Baylor doesn't get it, but he does. I've been closely associated with England in the past and I know what he does and how he does it. He doesn't come right out and ask, "Will you be a crook with me?" He's too slick for that. He simply uses you. He knows what you'll say, what'll get you motivated to do certain things, and then he sees to it that you find out about things or, as in Baylor's case, he just lets you go to mouth off about all kinds of people and things.

You see, England knows who is allied with whom. He uses this information wisely.

I can’t understand why Fluffinstuff would be so confused. Nor his friends. They’ve completely bad-mouthed everyone in town. And it’s not just Ed Clere, it’s Vicki Denhart too. Here you’ve got this woman who does everything she can to make sure the people’s tax dollar is not wasted (put into the wallet of one of our crooked cronies), and then Baylor makes up a name for her, INSISTS that it’s true, and goes around telling everyone she’s a nut job.

This makes Baylor a nut job, not the other way around. And his cronies too, Smith, Gillenwater, etc.

Well, he said you can look it up in the paper. Look it up in the archives, 10:48. Also, look up for yourselves the information on the financials. You can see how much was received and how much was spent and where. A lot of it disappears. Look it up for yourselves.

Since I see that Roger Baylor gets on this blog, I might as well address this directly. I was at that BPW event and I've got this to say:

Roger, why can't you make an attempt to dress a little better. Why do you want to wear what you call your "uniform" instead of trying to dress more tidy and neat? Don't you realize that people don't want to see you in your every day "uniform?"

You're not appearing before the people for another job making brew. You're trying to convince people to choose you to represent them in the city council of New Albany.

Another thing, you seem so fond of that "Kill Fascists" t-shirt. I've heard you call people (all Republicans) "Fascists." So, when you say you want to "kill Fascists," what do you mean, exactly? If I were in public office (and, yes, I am a Republican), I would have to wonder if you would prefer that I be dead.

It appears you want to leave a certain impression on the public. The impression you're leaving on the public is that you couldn't care less how you appear, how you represent the city, or how little interest you have in the real issues. You want to shove your own prejudices at us and then expect everyone to rave about how you've shown us the light.

I had heard and read about you and it didn't leave a favorable impression. Now, I firm my resolve not to vote for you. No matter what. You are leaving the same impression on others.

This coming from someone, anonymous as always, who believes that judgments derived from Eisenhower-standards of appearance count more than content, who cannot the recall the story of Woody Guthrie's guitar inscription from the last, perhaps final, justified war, and who probably is Republican anyway, as are so many Dixiecrats hereabouts.

You know, Fluffinstuff, appearances do not count more than content. But it is also understood that, if you cannot present yourself as clean and willing to give the old personal hygiene at least a modicum of effort, then you don't care at all that you exude little to give confidence to your potential future constituents. You only want to express yourself. This is a problem that many in your generation have had. Most of you outgrew it by the time you were finished with your 20's.

Although you have the intelligence to be able to figure this out, you eschew the notion that you might want to please the people at least on this one thing. But, no, your own sense of expression comes before the people. THIS is why people will not vote for you. They want someone who will represent THEM, not the other way around.

I saw you on WNAS. Your appearance was slovenly and rebellious. No one expects you to wear a suit. But anything would be better than the "I don't care" outfit you insist on wearing.

I was told last night, and I quote, that "Roger slinked around here like a beaten cur, trying to have a look inside Pastimes." An apt description, I'd say.

You think you're going to foist your way of thinking on all the rest of us. That everyone else but you and those who think like you are probably either Republican or are Dixiecrats, and so not to be given any respect. This is not how to win an election, Flffnstff.

To top all that off, you are continually harping on Vicki Denhart, making fun of her appearance, what she's wearing, her smoking habit. So, explain that. You obviously understand that people react to "judgments derived from Eisenhower-standard appearance." So, why's it a big deal for Vicki, who, by the way, does NOT go around looking slovenly as you do, but not for you? Do I sense a double standard here?

Then, check out the comment of 8:56. The part about the Fascist message. I completely agree with what she said. If you're going to wear a shirt that says, "Kill Fascists," then that's a pretty adversarial sentiment and a bit of a threat. If I were people like Ed Clere (your favorite) or Ron Grooms or Todd Young or Mitch Daniels, I might view this shirt as you wanting to wipe them off the face of the earth.

Again, a dangerous and antagonistic attitude do not endear you to the public.

I answered you, but this is the last time I will do so unless you show the public some respect.

Here's another question. How many of the candidates for city council have actually ATTENDED council meetings? I have to hand it to Baylor. He does go and he tries to give a report on his blog (albeit VERY slanted).

Shirley Baird has attended. So has Vicki Denhart. Greg Phipps has attended. I don't think I've seen Patty Walker there, but I don't actually know her. Teresa Timberlake has never come. I wonder how she thinks she could function on a city council when she's never been there???

Gonder, voted for a sewer increase, new contract for sanitation, raise stormwater, and give council healthcare and etc.

He states he's proud of his record.

Phipps, wants to give taxabatements for homeowners who move downtown and supports police and fire.

Roger Baylor, is in it for himself and his business. If elected to council I will invest all your tax dollars downtown on Bank Street.

Randy Smith, is in it for himself and what ever he can get and when you vote remember Diane is a law breaker.

Patty Walker, my brother was a fireman in Clarksville an died in a fire, I support the police and fire And knows budgets.

Brad Bell, I worked in radio and I want to change course. Supports police and fire.

Dan Coffey, Englands a crook, we had $500,000 disappear he cut a deal for Eastridge to buy Englands property. I'm on my way out the door and screw you all.

T. Timberlake, I have not attended council meetings for the last four years but Doug England ask me to run and I have to do what Master England wants. But, I almost beat Dan last time, and I will this time. Anything else you want me to say: Mayor England?

Shirley Baird, I'm for police and fire and will say anything to get elected.

Irv. Stumler, first I was a republican and then I cut a deal with England to keep his people if he helps me get elect. My wife Pat Leist, see all you democrats need to vote for me because my wife was married to Judge Leist. I'm 75 years old and don't know crap but government or how to run a city but Doug England and John Mattingly assures me they will handle the day to day decisions. I plan to invest in downtown, take care of police and fire. The Bobo project is a win win for Bobo, but It's part of the deal to keep Englands support. I'm a busnessman and have many success but ignore I gave RNC this year $5,000 and also gave them $5,000 last year. I have five businesses in Louisville and the State of Kentucky is currently not happy with what I've been doing. I fixed the steeple at St. Mary's. But remember a vote for me is also a vote for Doug England.

Doug England, I am not a crook, I just take what I want and do as I please. We are underfunded and I've been spending every dollar Kay would let me have. I will not lay off police or fire and will continue to do as I please. I want to spend more time with my wife and family but still keep my hand in the cookie jar. Hookers are expensive you know. I plan to take the title from Saint Daniels and proclaim myself Saint England after being voted out. You know I a bad loser and if you don't vote for me you will have hell to pay over the next several months.

Pat McLaughlin and Sue Ellen Wilkerson, We are the lucky ones we got a free ride in the primary.

Hows that for starters?

A vote for any of the above mention is a vote for corruption an Douglas B. England.

Yes. 6:29 hit the nail on the head. There's more, of course, but there's really not enough space to put it all here. Also, for those who ask for proof, daily evidence in the deeds of the above mentioned is all the proof needed. Someone keeps asking for "proof" on here, but, frankly, if you don't have your eyes already opened, then you wouldn't believe any "proof" either.

A vote for England is a vote for more of the same. A vote for Baylor, Smith Phipps, Timberlake, McLaughlin, Gonder, Coffey, Bell is a vote for England.

I plan to vote for Denhart, Baird, Gahan, Glotzbach, and then probably any Republican that is running.

I guess the proof comment is directed at me. I just asked the question yesterday. I have not always lived here, and cannot make the same assumptions that people here make.

So, let me get it straight: England is a crook, but never caught even tho everyone knows he's a crook. But even being a crook couldn't save him from Stumler's money, so England got Stumler to come onto the Democratic ticket by passing him some of the loot that England nevern got caught stealing.

And gahan is your choice not so much because he's the best one, but because he's the ionly solid chance to beat England?

To the Benedetti comment (re Smith): Um...you don't think that drinking and driving is some fantastically poor judgment? You're ok with a councilperson that consciously makes the decision to get behind the wheel after imbibing, putting lives at risk? No thanks. If she can't even handle her own affairs in a moral manner, why would I trust her to handle those of the city?

Ironic that the things Baylor campaigns for are actually things that would benefit the whole city- and yet, all you can focus on are his package and his clothing choices. They way many of you post here, you complain about the existing regime that you don't like, but you actually want someone that talks smooth, looks good- completely superficial and irrelevant to the job at hand.

8:09, you do NOT have it right. You have not read what people on here are saying. I was born at Floyd Mem Hospital. I am 44 years old. I've been here all my life, first in the Knobs, and now in the Slate Run School district. When I was younger, I would hear people mention England's name, usually with a kind of shudder or grimace. Most of the people who I would hear mention his name hinted or directly said that he was a crook.

For a while, I had a job downtown. I don't any more. I didn't fit in and couldn't stand all the gossip.

Anyway, my husband and I have only recently really started paying attention to this stuff. I know it'll annoy that guy who gets onhere and insults people (Baylor), but I started paying attention when Ed Clere first ran for State Representative. He came to our house. We asked a LOT of questions about schools, and about preserving and protecting downtown historic buildings and were impressed by his knowledge and frankness. Be annoyed if you will, but it's the truth. I started paying attention to local politics because of Clere.

That's when all this stuff I'd heard as a little girl started to resurface in my brain. Doug England, crook, money, sneaking, all that stuff. It kept coming up. It kept seeming like what I'd heard then was being reinforced by what I hear today.

Then, I started paying attention to school board meetings and the city council meetings. I have attended both at one time or another. The things I've heard at school board meetings seem innocent enough. It's only when I've done research that I have realized how badly the school administration has spent our tax dollars. Knowing what I know now about that, I look at what people like Bruce Hibbard SAY (while they gut NAFCS), and realize that they do very different things.

Same thing with England. Doug England, according to Bruce Hibbard, was "completely in support" of closing schools. Hibbard said he had talked with England and that he had agreed with closing the 4 schools. Completely. Obviously, I don't believe Hibbard. Not at all. But it was also a calculated move on England's part to then put a huge ad in the Tribune. In it, he said that he is completely AGAINST closing schools. He wrote this very carefully worded letter to that effect.

Both of these political-minded men were doing the same sneaky, blaming, calculated crap I've come to expect from both the NAFC school superintendent and the mayor.

I've read enough about England's money-grubbing actions to make me ill. That parks bill is one of them. Let's just put our parks up for politicians to do whatever they want to because MONEY'S at stake! Sickening.

And we are powerless to do anything about it unless we clean house. We HAVE to get rid of the people in office. They HAVE to go. Right now, what I see England doing is rushing to spend whatever money he can. I don't know how he does it, but I feel certain that the money going out of my family's pocket is ending up right in his. Sometimes gut instinct is all you have.

I don't know if this is what the rest of you are talking about, but it's my perspective and JMHO.

I can't wait til this election is over. I found some political signs stashed in our bushes. Ridiculous. Why people think that stealing and dumping signs is the way to win an election is beyond me. Then there are the bozos who have signs up outside their districts. Jimminy Cricket! Let's put on our thinking caps and see ponder whether those signs might be better used in a candidate's own district. Hmmmm.

I don't know what all this talk is about wearing a suit. No one asks that a candidate wear a suit. But candidates should make it clear that he/she cares enough about the people he/she is addressing to clean up and wear something besides the most offensive, statement-making shroud he/she can put on.

Wow! So much writing on here yesterday and today very little. I guess everyone has been cleaning up after the storm?

We had several small branches down. No damage to home or cars. What a relief! We live close to St. Mary's Church and School and there was a tree down in front of the school this morning. I think we actually heard a tornado noise. It sounded like a train, but it was very quick. Hard to tell what it was before it was done.

I would like to know why only Elm Street, Ekin and Vincennes street got free tree removal? I had to pay $600 to get my tree cut up and removed. I heard a council member lives on Elm, he got his removed for free. Anyone know who?

Oh for crying out loud. You 'heard'. Which means your petty complaining MUST be true, right?

I had no trees down. But, if I did, I have a good friend who would be willing to come over and help me take mine down (and yes, with a tree removal company) for free. Would you complain about that too?

Those of you that obbsess over Doug England, please provide all of this evidence that he is as crooked as you say. PLEASE do us all a favor and bring it public so that something can be done. If you have no proof, move onto another obsession and quit making false accusations.

What a fresh idea that Diane Benedetti would challenge the notion of putting out signs to "control" guns. And, although I have rarely agreed with him, bravo to Dan Coffey for picking up the ball.

These morons actually think that posting "no weapons" in public places would actually keep that nut job who couldn't care less about the law from coming into any public place and simply shooting up the joint? Really?

Why don't you give up the ghost, Baylor? You are nothing if not a total contradiction re everything you say (write). No signs because you don't like littering but yet you had no problem sticking all of those "Yes To All New Fees and All New Taxes" signs up, did you?

I guess if I was Randy Smith who promised everything they want they would endorse me too. But, hey Randy, how in the friggin hell are you going to give them all they want and pay for it? When Benedetti kicks your bald ass.I've yet to hear how he plans to pay for any of this.He's like Ethridge he can talk the talk but not walk the walk.

From the outside looking in, I would say all candidates stand in support of the police and fire. The issue comes into play whenever the new contract negotiations begin and our budget if we have to lay off.

I want sanitation brought back in house. I want the ambulance service to not be privitized.

the fuss is the city is broke and the police and fire always want more and more and they control too many politicians so they get whatever they want. leave sanitation as is, a lot better than it was when it was in house. ambulance, privatize it and let the hospital foot the cost of it.